1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,159 describes a connector with a housing that can be fit in a mating housing and a retainer that is mounted in a retainer insertion hole formed in the housing. The retainer can be moved in the retainer mount hole between a temporary locking position and a main locking position along a direction that extends oblique to the fit-in direction of the housing. Terminal fittings can be inserted into the housing and removed therefrom when the retainer is disposed at the temporary locking position. However, the retainer prevents the removal of the terminal fittings from the housing when the retainer is at the main locking position. The housing has a locking part and the retainer has a to-be-locked portion that can be locked to the locking part. The locking part and the to-be-locked portion are locked to each other at the main locking position along the fit-in direction of the housing.
The electric wire connected with the terminal fitting may be pulled rearward when the retainer is at the main locking position and may exert a separation force that urges the retainer obliquely toward the temporary locking position. At this time, the direction in which the retainer separates from the housing is almost coincident with the direction in which the locking part and the to-be-locked portion are locked together, even though the retainer deviates to a low extent from the direction in which the locking part and the to-be-locked portion are locked to each other. Thus, there is a fear that the to-be-locked portion will unlock from the locking part if the separation force applied to the retainer is excessively large, and hence the retainer may be removed inadvertently from the housing.
The invention has been completed in view of the situation described above. Therefore it is an object of the invention to provide a connector in which a retainer can be prevented from being inadvertently removed from a housing.